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My first response to this prompt would be to browse through the test and make sure you teach each different section from it in your classroom. However, I can only think of a couple truly ethical ways to help students prepare for standardized tests. As teachers, we can only be sure that each content area is covered thoroughly. You could also take information from an older test and base your lessons off the core curriculum and that information. We can also give practice tests and prepare by reviewing basic information throughout the year. I cannot think of any other way to be totally ethical in helping with test preparation.
From my experience, I have found you need to be very careful to not base each lesson solely on the test. In the end, I found that focusing on the student first produced some of the best results. Helping students truly learn is more influential than pounding facts into their heads.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Stadardized Testing
Pros
Standardized testing has some good aspects as well as some negative aspects. The positive views of this form of testing are the following: practicality, standardization, identification of problems, and accountability of teachers and students.
Standardized tests are, for the most part, easy to administer and easy to grade. They can be given to most of the class at once and do not require personal time and assistance with each individual student. This aspect of the test provides a good and quick way to measure our students' learning.
All students are held accountable for the knowledge of the same material. Students cannot be left behind based on any "disadvantages". Race, disabilities, language barriers, and economic status cannot be blamed for failure of these tests. Each student is held to the same standard.
This form of testing also provides a powerful way to let administration know if there is a problem in student learning or classroom teaching. Change can then be implemented after a problem is diagnosed.
When each student across a district passes the same parts of a standardized test, teachers are shown what needs to be emphasized across the different classrooms. Students take learning and testing more seriously for themselves. Individual teachers can also see what content areas they need to work on.
Some of these pros can also be viewed as cons.
Cons
The following are cons: each student is held to the same standard regardless of disability, standardized tests can be biased against some students, there are huge negative impacts to teachers and students, and meaningful learning is often affected.
While students who have disabilities or language barriers can have an alternative assessment given, the test frequently does not measure these students' knowledge. It is not appropriate to have each student measured on the same scale when they are not on the same scale in the first place. I worked in a special education classroom and assisted during end-of-year testing. This time of the year was the most stressful for my cooperating teacher. We had to know what accomodations could be used with each student and administer the tests one-on-one. Although we tried our best to prepare our students throughout the year for this test, we knew there was no fighting chance some of them would pass. My teacher had even only taught to the test. She only cared about getting our students to pass. Even though we only worked with special needs students, it was apparent the tests were biased towards "normal" education students. Those tests can often be biased towards the main population, and are therefore unfit for distribution to each individual student.
If a school does not reach its AYP according to the passing percentage of the tests, there can be very negative impacts and changes for that school. Many of the staff can lose their jobs and students are given the opportunity choose a different school. 95% of the school is required to take the test. There is a very good chance that, by holding each student to the same standard, some schools will not pass.
In my own experience, I have seen that certain content areas are left out because they are not covered on the end-of-year test. Teachers have begun to teach to the test, not the students. Real life skills are not convered in those tests and are consequently left untaught.
Standardized testing has some good aspects as well as some negative aspects. The positive views of this form of testing are the following: practicality, standardization, identification of problems, and accountability of teachers and students.
Standardized tests are, for the most part, easy to administer and easy to grade. They can be given to most of the class at once and do not require personal time and assistance with each individual student. This aspect of the test provides a good and quick way to measure our students' learning.
All students are held accountable for the knowledge of the same material. Students cannot be left behind based on any "disadvantages". Race, disabilities, language barriers, and economic status cannot be blamed for failure of these tests. Each student is held to the same standard.
This form of testing also provides a powerful way to let administration know if there is a problem in student learning or classroom teaching. Change can then be implemented after a problem is diagnosed.
When each student across a district passes the same parts of a standardized test, teachers are shown what needs to be emphasized across the different classrooms. Students take learning and testing more seriously for themselves. Individual teachers can also see what content areas they need to work on.
Some of these pros can also be viewed as cons.
Cons
The following are cons: each student is held to the same standard regardless of disability, standardized tests can be biased against some students, there are huge negative impacts to teachers and students, and meaningful learning is often affected.
While students who have disabilities or language barriers can have an alternative assessment given, the test frequently does not measure these students' knowledge. It is not appropriate to have each student measured on the same scale when they are not on the same scale in the first place. I worked in a special education classroom and assisted during end-of-year testing. This time of the year was the most stressful for my cooperating teacher. We had to know what accomodations could be used with each student and administer the tests one-on-one. Although we tried our best to prepare our students throughout the year for this test, we knew there was no fighting chance some of them would pass. My teacher had even only taught to the test. She only cared about getting our students to pass. Even though we only worked with special needs students, it was apparent the tests were biased towards "normal" education students. Those tests can often be biased towards the main population, and are therefore unfit for distribution to each individual student.
If a school does not reach its AYP according to the passing percentage of the tests, there can be very negative impacts and changes for that school. Many of the staff can lose their jobs and students are given the opportunity choose a different school. 95% of the school is required to take the test. There is a very good chance that, by holding each student to the same standard, some schools will not pass.
In my own experience, I have seen that certain content areas are left out because they are not covered on the end-of-year test. Teachers have begun to teach to the test, not the students. Real life skills are not convered in those tests and are consequently left untaught.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
WebSite Reflections
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/FirstYear/index.html What to Expect Your First Year of Teaching
This site was really easy to access. I liked that it had personal quotes from other teachers about their first years of teaching. Some of the opinions and trials were helpful to learn about and prepare for. I think it is interesting that there can be so many different viewpoints from people doing the same thing. This would be helpful to see that everyone struggles but to not give up!
http://www.nea.org/home/ToolsAndIdeas.html NEA Tools and Ideas
The accessibility of this site was very easy. All the different links made the site very useful. My favorite part about this site was the lesson plans. I liked how each lesson had a brief abstract. One thing that would make it a little more user-friendly would be if there were a subject search, like UEN's site. The articles concerning classroom management also seemed to have a useful place for me, as a future teacher.
http://www.aft.org/teachers/index.htm AFT Teachers A Union of Professionals
This site also pulled up easily. It seemed to be more of a teacher update/newsletter. The section I explored was called A Year In the Life of a Teacher. I previewed some articles about reading, common curriculum, and poverty. I might use this site. However, I really don't know if I will have enough time to read through each article and section. We will see.
Ethics Survey Reflection
The survey was interesting to take with the knowledge that these events really took place. I had a hard time deciding what consequence I would go with ona couple of the scenarios. One I specifically had a difficult time with was the one where a teacher uses his own computer to send flirtatious emails to students. I wasn't sure what to put on this because while the teacher was not using school property, the emails were still suggestive. I know I would not want my children to be students in that class, but protocol for such situations is not effecient in my opinion.
I was glad to see what kind of issues occur in the classroom. This was a real eye opener.
I was glad to see what kind of issues occur in the classroom. This was a real eye opener.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Educational Philosophy
According to the Philosophic Inventory, I believe most in Existentialism and Progressivism. This means that I place importance on the individual and choice, and that I focus on the students' interests rather than mainly focus on the information to be taught.
Do I truly agree with these philosophies? Although the questions were a little hard to get through, I do believe that I do align most with these over the other theories. I believe that we, as individuals, are responsible for the choices we make and the people we become. As we grow older, we become more responsible for the quality and authenticity of our own lives. However, I think I agree most with the Progressivism theory. While the content and curriculum are very important, our students will most likely learn the information when their interests are also met. Through Progressivism, I can form a classroom in which my students needs and the core are placed high in value.
Do I truly agree with these philosophies? Although the questions were a little hard to get through, I do believe that I do align most with these over the other theories. I believe that we, as individuals, are responsible for the choices we make and the people we become. As we grow older, we become more responsible for the quality and authenticity of our own lives. However, I think I agree most with the Progressivism theory. While the content and curriculum are very important, our students will most likely learn the information when their interests are also met. Through Progressivism, I can form a classroom in which my students needs and the core are placed high in value.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Teaching and Learning
I recently learned that in order to become an effective teacher, I need to be able to show each individual student that I care about him or her. By doing so, I will be able to become a person my students can trust and effectively learn from. I believe that incorporating care in the classroom will reduce behavior issues as well as increase effective learning. I learned this important aspect of teaching throughout my last semester's field experience.
Although I have been in school for all my life, I have recently had the importance of effective and true learning reinforced. The other day, I realized that I have been taking my schooling for granted. Not everyone has the opportunity to go through college and earn a degree. I learned that I need to make my schooling personal to me and remember what I learn for good, not just for regurgitation.
Although I have been in school for all my life, I have recently had the importance of effective and true learning reinforced. The other day, I realized that I have been taking my schooling for granted. Not everyone has the opportunity to go through college and earn a degree. I learned that I need to make my schooling personal to me and remember what I learn for good, not just for regurgitation.
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